GOV’T RESPONSE. Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian answers queries on government response on the Mt. Kanlaon eruption in a press conference in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on Tuesday (June 4, 2024). He said almost 50,000 family food packs will be ready for distribution for affected families on Wednesday. (DSWD photo)
MANILA – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday assured the agency has sufficient family food packs (FFPs) in regions affected by the volcanic activity of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island.
Gatchalian said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the DSWD to stay on top of the situation and ensure no family will be left behind.
“As we speak right now, may 10,000 tayong FFPs kagabi -- almost 5,000 sa Negros Occidental, 5,000 sa Negros Oriental. Kanina, may sampung libo ulit na FFPs na dumating dito at galing yan sa packaging center natin sa Cebu (we have 10,000 FFPs last night -- almost 5,000 in Negros Occidental, 5,000 in Negros Oriental. A while ago, 10,000 FFPs from the packaging center in Cebu arrived here),” Gatchalian said in a press conference in Canlaon City.
He added there are 10,000 more FFPs to be sent to the Bacolod City area.
He said he is in constant communication with the heads of the affected local government units to personally know the situation and prepare for the worst if volcanic activities continue.
“Once safe na ang ating mamamayan, tulad ng nasabi ko kanina, tuloy-tuloy yung pagbibigay ng pagkain sa ating mga (Once our people are safe, as I said earlier, we will continue to provide food to our) affected families,” he said.
He noted that the DSWD is ready to provide other forms of assistance in addition to the FFPs to help the affected residents cope with the possible disruptions in their livelihood.
“Pumapasok ang financial assistance kaya nga nag-uusap din kami ng mga kongresista na kung darating ang panahon na yan, meron tayong ibang mga programa tulad nung Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, meron tayong (Financial assistance will come in, that's why we are also talking with congressmen that if that time comes, we have other programs like Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, we have) emergency cash transfer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tonyson Luther Lee, DSWD-Central Visayas Assistant Director for Administration, told the Philippine News Agency that about 40,000 FFPs were in transit since Monday night, bound for Negros Island.
He said DSWD also deployed a Mobile Command Center to Negros Oriental to provide state-of-the-art satellite internet, large power banks and two sets of generators to help communities near the volcano. (Zaldy De Layola, John Rey Saavedra/PNA)
